Introduction

We will be using the sample parameter file, paramsletter.txt, in the samples directory as an example throughout this chapter. The default location for AppendPDF on Windows is C:\Appligent\AppendPDF\ and AppendPDF Pro is located in C:\Appligent\AppendPro. On other platforms, it will be wherever you installed it. The paramsletter.txt example, (AppendPDF Pro only), contains most of the features described in these chapters for the purpose of explanation and examples.

Note: AppendPDF does not have all the capabilities that are shown in the examples. Parameters that are specific to AppendPDF Pro will be followed by the notation: (AppendPDF Pro only).

What is a Parameter file?

To run AppendPDF Pro or AppendPDF you will need a parameter file. A text parameter file is a simple text file that contains the instructions AppendPDF Pro or AppendPDF uses to build your new document. Sample parameter files are included with the AppendPDF Pro and AppendPDF installation and are located in the samples directory.

A parameter file includes:

The name and directory path of the new, appended PDF file

Source file information is a list of the documents to be used for appending, including page ranges and Table of Contents (TOC) entries (AppendPDF Pro only)

Cover page information includes the cover page file and the stamp file for the cover page (AppendPDF Pro only)

Table of Contents information includes the TOC file, style information, and the stamp file for the TOC (AppendPDF Pro only)

Document Info is Title, Author, Subject, Keywords which are viewable within Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Reader

Extras specify additional information such as how the document should open and a stamp file for the body of the document (AppendPDF Pro only)

Important! We will continue to support existing text parameter files. However, new features will only be available using XML files.

Building a Text Parameter File

New file name

The first line of the parameter file is the name of the new PDF file — the output file that will be created by AppendPDF or AppendPDF Pro. For example:

paramsletter.pdf

It is likely that you will be appending files that do not reside in the directory that holds AppendPDF or AppendPDF Pro. To avoid losing track of where your files are being written, we recommend that you include the full pathname for each file that you use. For example:

C:\MyDir\WorkFiles\paramsletter.pdf

Parameter file details

The following sub-chapters describe in detail how to build the rest of the parameter file in text format.

Important! We will continue to support existing text parameter files. However, new features will only be available using XML parameter files.